Antonio Brown, who just left the Oakland Raiders to sign with the New England Patriots after a series of pre-season arguments with management, was accused in a new federal civil lawsuit filed by a former trainer and classmate at Central Michigan University of “three separate incidents of sexual assault and rape”:

The lawsuit says that Brown — in three separate incidents, two in June 2017 and another in May 2018 — sexually assaulted a woman named Britney Taylor, a gymnast whom he met while they were attending Central Michigan together and whom he later hired as a trainer.

The lawsuit was filed one day after Brown, 31, became a Patriot following a brief, turbulent tenure with the Oakland Raiders that ended when he requested his release last week. Late Tuesday night, the Patriots issued a statement saying that the N.F.L. planned to do its own investigation of the accusations against Brown.

“Mr. Brown denies each and every allegation in the lawsuit,” said a statement from Darren Heitner, a lawyer representing Brown. “He will pursue all legal remedies to not only clear his name but to also protect other professional athletes against false accusations.”

We’re seeing an unconfirmed report that Brown will counter-sue:

Source: #Patriots WR Antonio Brown intends to countersue his accuser for civil extortion, at this time.

Parallels between the Antonio Brown case and the Derrick Rose sexual assault civil case. Both were filed as civil lawsuits without a prior police report being filed. Rose was found not liable. And the NBA waited for the civil justice system to play out. NFL should do the same.